Putting my cards on the table I have to say that I love FM. I first saw them on the Tough it Out tour (with Romeo’s Daughter in support) at a less than packed Cardiff St. David’s Hall and have been mostly a huge fan ever since although they kind of lost me during the Andy Barnett years. I have seen them on numerous occasions since that day in the Welsh capital and have always found them to be an excellent live outfit. In fact, recently they have been as good as ever and the evidence is right here on The Italian Job.
Steve Overland has long been one of the UK’s best yet most underrated (at least in the mainstream) frontmen and he shines from beginning to end of The Italian Job. That said, with live albums one tends to purchase them a) if you’re already a fan or b) you require a good starting point to get into a band. I remember doing both with Skynyrd’s One More From the Road back in the day.
If you are already a follower of FM the band don’t just stick to the classics; there’s no "Frozen Heart" for instance but thankfully no Marvin Gaye cover versions either. The new tunes fit into a carefully constructed set and sound great alongside oldies such "Someday", "Closer to Heaven", "Does it Feel Like Love" and the always brilliant "Tough it Out". "Killed By Love" is the best of the new bunch and "Overland" sounds genuinely thrilled during the audience participation section and there’s very much a celebratory, joyous vibe to the whole thing.
So, a) if you’re already a fan or b) you require a good starting point to get into FM, The Italian Job is arguably the best place to do so.
Track Listing:
- Intro
- Black Magic
- I Belong to the Night
- Life is a Highway
- Let Love Be the Leader
- Killed by Love
- Metropolis
- Over You
- Closer to Heaven
- Does it Feel Like Love
- Story of My Life
- Love Lies Dying
- Bad Luck
- Tough it Out
- That Girl
- Other Side of Midnight
- Blood and Gasoline (acoustic bonus track)
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